


Remember Who You Love

by PagetPaulson



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-25
Updated: 2015-01-25
Packaged: 2018-03-08 23:54:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 8,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3228278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PagetPaulson/pseuds/PagetPaulson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How were two teenagers supposed to raise a baby?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

He held onto her tighter when he heard her sobs grow louder, his hands rubbing down the sixteen year old's shaking back. Nothing Aaron could say would make his girlfriend feel any better, and staying quiet certainly wasn't helping. What was he supposed to do?

Emily sniffled loudly before backing out of her boyfriend's hug, shaking her head as she tried to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "They just find every way to make me feel like shit," she huffed, looking down to her hands as she toyed with the tissue she had been holding. "Why do they do that to me?"

The older boy shook his head and pulled his girlfriend back to him. "They're not good people, Emily."

"But they're my parents," she cried. "They should love me and help me, but they won't."

Aaron tried his best not to let himself cry with the beautiful teenager in his arms, wanting to stay strong for the girl he had been with for three years.

"What do we do?" Emily all but whimpered, gazing up at the boy she had fallen in love with. "I want them to be a part of this and they don't even want to speak to me."

"We don't need them to be a part of this, ok? If they don't want to accept this then they won't, and we can do this on our own."

Emily sighed, using her crumpled tissue to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. "They've never been my parents, I don't understand why I thought this would be any different." She shook her head. "I mean, I didn't think they'd be one hundred percent supportive, but I'm their daughter."

Aaron ran his fingers through her dark hair, nodding his understanding.

"I'm gonna be a mommy," she whispered, her voice breaking as she looked down to her now three month pregnant stomach. "I need their help with this."

"Emily?"

The sixteen year old looked up at the friendly voice, letting her boyfriend's mother help her out of the car. "Thank you," she nodded politely.

Annie Hotchner smiled sadly to the ambassador's daughter and took her into a hug, letting the sixteen year old girl crumple into her chest. "You're not going to be alone, darling," she whispered maternally, running her hands down her back. "You're going to stay here and we're behind you every step of the way." Puling away, she smiled to the crying girl. "You couldn't escape us if you tried."

Emily's lips quivered at the words coming from the older woman. "Thank you."

The other teenager stepped up behind his girlfriend and set a hand to the small of her back, hearing his dad start to get Emily's things out of the car. "I love you."

Letting him press a kiss to her hair, Emily let her hand lay against her small stomach. "I love you too," she tried to smile.

They could do it on their own.


	2. Chapter 2

"I promise you're going to have so much fun out here," the expectant mother whispered to her stomach as she gently rubbed her hand over it. She and Aaron had been lying out in the sun all day, the sixteen year old boy going crazy trying to make sure she stayed healthy in every way so their baby would be ok. Today he was concerned about her vitamin D intake.

Aaron laced their fingers together on her gently bulging stomach and bent down so his head was near it. "I hope you like us," he nodded seriously, hearing his girlfriend laugh above him. "We're going to be a little tough and strict but it's just because we love you."

Running her fingers through Aaron's hair, Emily bit her lip. "You think they'll look more like you or me?"

"I would hope me," he scoffed, leaning back up and brushing a finger against the younger brunette's nose. "Have you seen this thing?"

Emily's eyes went wide as she laughed, letting her boyfriend wrap her up in his arms as they laid in the grass. "You're so mean to me."

Aaron shared a smile with the mother-to-be and took her into a kiss. "You know I love you."

"I do," the sixteen year old grinned. It had been two weeks since she had moved in with the Hotchners, her parents disowning her after she had gone to them with the confidence it had taken her months to work up to tell them that she was to have a baby.

Aaron's parents couldn't be happier about it. Sure they were upset with the two, the teens having promised to stay abstinent until it was time for college. But the promise of a grandchild being brought into the world made them completely supportive, and they had been the ones to suggest Emily live in their home until they saved enough to buy a place of their own.

And they all well knew that Emily had enough money, the trust funds and inheritance from her grandmother who had passed away completely available to her when she decided it was time to dip into the savings. The Hotchners knew they would have to leave sooner or later, but the soon-to-be grandparents wanted them to stay there for at least the first few months of the baby's life before they went to find an apartment or a home for themselves to live in.

They had already started buying things for the baby, an expensive crib sitting in the room that Aaron and Emily now shared, a couple of unisex starter outfits and a carseat that they'd set up in Aaron's car when Emily was a little bit closer to her due date.

November twenty-seventh.

Sitting up on her elbows, Emily leaned forward and captured her boyfriend's lips. "You think you're funny."

"I know I'm funny," he grinned.

The pregnant teenager laughed against Aaron's lips as he dove back in for a kiss, and she brought one of her hands up to cup the older boy's cheek. "I love you."

Aaron brought his girlfriend into a sitting position and moved her to sit in his lap, his chin settling onto the sixteen year old's shoulder as they looked out to the small pond in the backyard. "I love you more."

"I doubt it," she giggled, feeling Aaron kiss at the crook of her neck. "I'm giving you a baby. I don't think you can get more loving than that."

Aaron's forehead scrunched, vaguely hearing the dog barking at them from inside. "I helped make that baby, you know."

Emily glanced behind her and shared a seductive smirk with the older boy. "Oh I know."

Sharing another kiss with the younger brunette, Aaron wrapped his arms around Emily's midsection. "So have you thought of names?"

"I have," she nodded excitedly. "I have more boy names than girl names."

"I have more girl names than boy names," the teenager nodded. "You go first."

Emily tilted her head to the side. "Can we veto names?"

Aaron glared playfully at the younger girl in his lap and poked her side. "Are you so sure you're going to be vetoing a bunch of my names?"

The brunette chuckled. "Just a little," she laughed, turning in his arms and pushing lightly at his chest when he went to tickle her again.

"Emily?"

Looking up when the dog ran to her side, Emily caught the eyes of the mother of the household, seeing her husband and little Sean standing near the back door. "Is everything ok?"

Annie Hotchner bit down into her lip as she waited for the couple to stand, reluctantly holding out the envelope to the young girl before her.

"What is it?" she asked, opening up the letter and unfolding the paper to read what was typed there.

Aaron peeked over his girlfriend's shoulder and looked at the letter. "It's from a lawyer."

"It's from my parents' lawyer," she whispered, her eyes stinging with tears as she looked back up to see the sympathetic eyes of the family. "They're fighting for custody of my baby."


	3. Chapter 3

Emily stormed into the Embassy, her feet stomping along the marble in her flat shoes because the heeled boots she had started to hurt her back because of her pregnancy. She could hear her new family charging in after her, but the steam coming out of her ears was too much to have her be taken away from her task at hand.

"Ms. Emily?"

The sixteen year old spun around at the voice, her eyes smoldering. "Where are they?" she growled.

The butler who had been with Emily her entire life slowly pointed to the hallway behind him. "Your parents are in the study." Before she could run past him, he held his hand out. "Ms. Emily, I'm sorry but your parents have informed me that you are not allowed on the premises."

Emily's glaring eyes filled with tears. "I am going to see them, Benny. Do you hear me?"

The older man gave her a sad look before nodding his head. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Emily. I hope your baby grows up to be just like you."

The pregnant teenager did her best to hold her tears back before storming down the hallway, not even bothering to knock on the office doors before she entered. "How dare you?"

Elizabeth Prentiss looked up from the stack of files on her desk, taking the glasses from the bridge of her nose. "What are you doing here? Who let you in?"

"Who let me in? That's all you have to say?" She took her hand from Aaron's and marched up the mahogany desk, slamming the letter that she had received down on the wood. "What the hell is this?"

Emily's father hardened his eyes on the people who had come into the study behind his daughter.

Emily narrowed her eyes on the older version of herself and shoved the paper forward. "You kick me out of the house for getting pregnant and then you try and get custody of my baby? Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Emi-"

"Who do you think you are?" she seethed. "This is my baby and my life you're messing with. Why are you doing this?"

Elizabeth straightened her shoulders, sitting back in her desk chair. "Frankly Emily, I do not believe you're a suitable fit for a mother."

The teenager scoffed. "And you are? Tell me mom, what are you going to do when the baby that you take from me grows up in your care, just like I did, gets pregnant, just like I did, and you kick them out? You're going to continue this cycle and ruin that baby's life just like you've ruined mine."

"I'd say you've ruined your mother and I's lives more than we have yours." Charles Prentiss walked toward the desk from where he had been standing near the window that overlooked the pool. "Do you see yourself? Pregnant at sixteen? Alone?"

Emily gestured to the family that had followed her into the Embassy. "I have people who actually care about me, unlike you two. All you care about are your jobs and how high your rank is while you never once thought about me. You told me I was a mistake!"

Elizabeth slipped her glasses back on, going back to reading the file she had opened prior to her daughter's arrival. "Just like that bastard inside of you."

Aaron forced himself to take a breath before stepping up behind his girlfriend and setting his hand to the small of her back. "Excuse me, but that is my child you're talking about and my girlfriend you're speaking to. I'm sorry that you obviously couldn't love Emily the way she needed you to, but that's why she turned to me. I love your daughter and we're having a baby together whether you like it or not, and it is not in your power to take this baby from us."

"Actually son, it is. If we see Emily as a potentially unfit parent, as her parents we're allowed to fight for custody."

The sixteen year old shook her head. "I can take care of this baby a million times better than either of you could," she whispered, gasping as she stared at the man she had called daddy for her entire life. "Please don't do this to me."


	4. Chapter 4

She could barely breathe.

Emily had been taken back to her new home by the family that had taken her in and had cried in her boyfriend's arms for what seemed like days, the parents and younger Hotchner child leaving them there and going off to dinner by themselves to give the soon-to-be parents some time to themselves.

And the sixteen year old had immediately gotten her boyfriend into bed.

She took all of her frustrations out on him when she had thrown him down, the ambassador's daughter who never liked anything other then gentle lovemaking thrusting and biting and taking control when she would leave all of that up to her boyfriend.

Emily had dug her nails into his skin and had drawn blood, her teeth sinking into his collarbone when she felt him cum underneath her.

Now she lay on her side, Aaron snuggling up behind her with his arms wrapped around her.

She was crying again.

"What are we supposed to do?" she whispered pathetically, holding onto her boyfriend's arms as they tightened around her. "This is our baby, Aaron. It's ours, not theirs. How could they do this to me?"

Aaron pressed a kiss to the sixteen year old's cheek, his hand coming up to move the hair from Emily's face. "They're not good people, Em."

She turned in his arms, letting Aaron tower above her as she lie on her back. "I want to keep our baby."

"We're going to," he said sternly. "This is our child and our lives, and we're going to keep them until they're off to college and embarrassed of us."

Emily tried to smile as she sniffled, letting the tips of her fingers trail along her boyfriend's arm. "Do you really think we can be parents?" she asked, her eyes bright and hopeful as she looked up to the older boy.

Aaron leaned down and smiled as they kissed. "I do."

"We're not even out of high school yet."

"We're both on track to graduate early, we're both planning on going to the college in the city and my mom, who stays home already, said she'd love to watch the baby when we're both in school."

Emily slowly nodded her head, nibbling into her bottom lip when Aaron kissed down her neck. "Our baby is going to be amazing," she whispered, smiling up to the ceiling as she turned to push her chest against her boyfriend's. "I love you so much." Kissing his lips, the ambassador's daughter set her forehead against the older boy's. "We're going to be amazing parents."

"You're going to be the best mother," he whispered back, smiling back to his girlfriend.

Setting her hand to his bare chest, the teenage girl glance down to her stomach. "I was thinking when we left the Embassy, I can use some of the money for a lawyer. My parents actually lost a case against a dignitary a few years ago and I know the lawyer who beat them. Maybe we can win." With this thought that had been brewing growing more powerful, the sixteen year old sitting up in her bed, she became more hopeful. "We can keep our baby."

Aaron tried his best to look as serious as he could. "Baby, we were never going to lose them," he whispered, hugging her close.

...

Looking up from the telephone she had put on speaker because her husband was in the room, Elizabeth paused her conference call. "Benjamin, I'm in the middle of something."

The older man shook his head. "Someone is here to see you, madam."

Elizabeth frowned, watching a man in a suit walk into her study. "Do I know you?"

"Anthony Imperioli," the handsome man grinned, slipping the envelope he was carrying onto the desk before putting his hands together. "I must say, I am very disgusted with the both of you."

Charles stood from his seat. "Benjamin, get this man out of our sight."

"Kicking out your own daughter and then trying to steal her baby out from under her?" The Italian man tilted his head as a smile appeared on his face. "Some parenting. And you think you're ready for another try?"

"Out of here, now," the woman in the room ordered.

Anthony shrugged. "As long as you know," he winked, "you've been served."


	5. Chapter 5

Walking through the court' entrance doors with her family by her side, Emily squeezed her boyfriend's hand.

She was now five months along, and it was finally time for them to fight for their baby in court. The Hotchners and she had been called in a week prior, and just that morning the lawyer called to tell them their arrival time.

The Prentiss' had done almost everything they could to show how Emily and Aaron would be bad parents, bringing up Emily's drug use back when she was just thirteen, her not having a job and Aaron being fired from his first job because he was suspected of stealing the petty cash.

Which he had done, taking it to try and help pay for his father's cancer treatment a few years back.

But Aaron had a new job at a restaurant now and Emily helped out at a daycare center when school wasn't in session. The couple had bought almost everything needed for the baby on the way, and now they were looking into homes they could rent or buy for when their child actually arrived.

Their lawyer thought they had a good chance.

Emily took in a breath as she nodded her head to the words being whispered in her ear by the boy at her side. "I know," she sighed, "I know. I'm just scared."

Peter Hotchner stepped up and pressed a kiss to his new daughter's dark head. "You both are going to do great. We're going to sit right behind you ok?"

"They're not going to take this baby away."

Aaron could hear the tears in his mother's voice as they stepped into the court room. He nodded a thank you to their lawyer when he held the door open for them, and he immediately noticed the ambassadors sitting with their lawyer on their side of the court room.

The teen who had a beautiful baby growing inside of her held her head up high when she saw her parents turn to look at her, and she tried her best to ignore the painful looks they were sending her. The judgment and the pity from the people in the court room, paparazzi because her parents were basically famous and the family members who had been pitted against one another, all doing their best to roll of the sixteen year old's shoulders as they took their seats.

"All rise."

Emily held onto her boyfriend's hand as they stood along with everyone else, watching the judge walk in from her chambers.

The blond woman gave a nod to the patrons in her court room before she sat down in her chair. "Thank you, you may be seated." She took the paper from before her and read through the top two lines. "So today, Ambassadors Prentiss you are here about receiving custody of your grandchild."

"They are, your honor," their lawyer replied.

Emily refrained from rolling her eyes. Her parents couldn't even speak to the judge themselves.

"On what grounds do you believe your daughter will not be a good mother to her child, Elizabeth?"

The ambassador sat straighter in her seat. "Your honor, my daughter has always been somewhat of a troublemaker. She has been through many things in her young life, including drinking and drug use when she was very young, which is something I do not want this baby to have happen to them."

Judge Harper moved her eyes to the teenagers in her court room. "Miss Prentiss? Rebuttal?"

"I did use drugs when I was thirteen, your honor, but that's ended. I don't believe that my parents will be a good influence on this child, and I wish to keep my parental rights."

"Care to explain?"

Emily could feel the tears start coming into her eyes at the question, and Aaron gripped her hands that were clasped together on the table. "When I told my parents I was pregnant, something that took my entire first trimester to bring up to them because I was so scared and felt so threatened by them, they did not support me and immediately kicked me out of our home. My boyfriend's parents moved me into their home and once my baby is here, Aaron and I are going to look into buying or renting a home for ourselves. They didn't take one moment to think of my welfare let alone my baby's, and I don't want my child to be brought up in the same cold environment that I had to."

Her parents' lawyer turned in his chair to face the Hotchner family on the other side of the court. "I'm sorry Emily, did you grow up without certain things? Your parents took you all over the world. I would have to guess that you're one of the most privileged teenagers anyone could meet."

"I was dragged from country to country," she stated emotionally. "I never made any friends and that's the reason I did drugs, but I don't anymore. I never once heard my parents tell me they loved me and they never once asked me how I was feeling or what I wanted, and that isn't something I want for my baby." Looking up to the judge, Emily shook her head. "Please your honor, don't let them have my baby."


	6. Chapter 6

It had been a full three months after their first hearing with the judge to determine if the baby on the way was to stay in the Hotchner household or be shipped off to live with the Prentiss'.

Their judge had listened very carefully to both sides after a few weeks of evidence and testimonies, and she had made the decision of waiting until after the baby was born so she could see how the teenagers were with it.

Things were brought up from both sides of the argument that no one thought would ever be brought up.

One of those things was the cage Emily was put in for timeout when she was a toddler.

Emily's eyes had immediately teared when she saw her attorney take out the pictures of the contraption, and the teenager forced herself to sit still and not get sick from the hormones and emotions that had tore through her. Her parents would have a nanny take her up to the playroom and put her in the metal cage when they thought she was being rude or if she plain just got in the way.

How Anthony got a hold of the information she didn't know, but her parents had immediately countered, saying that it was where they kept the dog.

They never had a dog, but somehow they were able to bring up the adoption documentation to prove that they once had.

Now they were just waiting for the baby to come, and the judge to visit their home when their baby was finally in the world and in the arms of its loving parents.

"Sweetheart, did you hear me?"

Emily looked up at the sound beside her and quickly put on a smile. "Sorry," she chuckled, leaning forward as best she could with her now huge stomach to get the next gift from the coffee table. "I guess I'm just a little overwhelmed with all the presents." The Hotchners had invited their family over for a baby shower, and all of Emily and Aaron's friends from school.

This had to be the twentieth present.

Annie, crossing her left leg over her right, moved the pregnant girl's hair behind her ear. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better," she nodded sincerely. The poor girl had been throwing up all morning, her morning sickness coming past her first trimester and popping up any time it wanted.

The now mother of three poured the pregnant teen a cup of ginger ale and set it on the table before them. "You take a sip when you're ready, sweetie."

Emily let the older woman press a kiss to her cheek and she gave the realest smile she could. "Thank you," she whispered.

Walking in from the kitchen, knowing he wasn't supposed to be there but needing to see his girlfriend's face, Aaron stepped into the living room. He gave polite smiles to all the women he saw and the friends from school who waved at him before leaning down beside the chair his baby's mother sit in. "Hi gorgeous."

Emily's head whipped around, a surprised smile settling over her face at the sight of her boyfriend. "Hi," she giggled, kissing the older boy. "Get me out of here," the sixteen year old quickly whispered, glancing around the room with a smile so none of her anxiousness would show.

The older boy's eyes crinkled as he smiled up to the brunette in the chair. "You're almost done, I promise."

"What are you doing here anyway? I thought you and Sean were off to find the baby bottles."

"Already done," he winked. "I wanted to give you your present."

Emily immediately felt her eyes begin to sting at the envelope that was presented from behind her boyfriend's back, and she quickly waved her hand before her eyes to rid the tears. "You didn't need to get me anything," she whispered, her voice thick with tears.

The older brunette shook his head, opening up the envelope for her because he could clearly see she wasn't up to opening it herself. "Nonsense."

Emily watched with anticipation as he slid the slip of paper out of the envelope, and she took it into her hands. "Congratulations my sweetheart, I know the end of your pregnancy is coming close and I just want you to know how beautiful you are to me," the pregnant teenager read, her voice cracking. "I couldn't think of anything better to give you than something I knew you truly cherished, so if you'll turn around, I hope you see just that." She frowned, letting Aaron take the paper back from her as she turned in her seat.

"Is that my EmmyBear?" came the wobbling voice.

Her hand immediately came to cover her gaping mouth, her jaw hitting the floor when she saw her grandfather coming around the corner. "Papa," she cried, getting up from her seat with the help of her boyfriend and his mother and hugging the older man as tight as she could.

Bruce Prentiss laughed heartily at the emotion pouring from the little girl he had known for years, and he pressed a small kiss to her temple. "Hello my little pumpkin. How's that baby of yours feeling today?"

"How did you even know I was pregnant?" Her parents had tried their best to hide this from the media, but even with the paparazzi coming to their jury trials and court room hearings, her grandfather who had lived in Belgium for the past decade shouldn't have heard a thing about it.

"How would I not know?" he laughed, taking Aaron into a hug. "This boy of yours called me up and told me I was getting a great grandbaby. You think I wouldn't come to see you two?"

Emily felt her face scrunching as her emotions took over, and it took all she had not to sob in front of everyone there. "Oh my God," she breathed.

Bruce pressed a kiss to his granddaughter's forehead. "Now you listen to me, pumpkin. I love you and this beautiful baby, and those parents of yours have poles so tight up their asses they don't know what's coming to them. I am one hundred percent on your side, do you hear me?"

Emily hastily nodded her head, her hand going to her stomach as he took her into another hug. "Thank you, papa."

Noticing the immediate tensing of his girlfriend, Aaron grabbed her hand. "Em, what is it?"

"Sweetie?"

The sixteen year old tried hard to ignore the voices coming from all opposite ends of the room, and she shook her head. "It's just a cramp."

Annie frowned when she noticed the teen wince again, and she quickly ran to her side. "Sweetie, what's going on?"

Emily took in a sharp breath, tears still in her eyes as she clutched onto her grandfather's hand. "I think the baby's coming," she said fearfully.


	7. Chapter 7

"Ow, son of a bitch!" Aaron yanked his hand away from the younger brunette who had been holding him so tight that he couldn't feel his hand anymore.

Emily's labor pains had been going on for over thirteen hours now, her water breaking only four prior, and she was trying to alleviate some of that pain. So her boyfriend had readily given her his hand, but the moment the newest contraction hit her, it was as if she were trying to kill him with her suffocating grip. "I'm so sorry," she cried, the teen's head hitting the pillow behind her as she tried to breathe. "Are you ok?"

The sixteen year old shook his head, quickly letting her take his other hand when he saw her wincing in pain. "I should be asking you that, baby. The pain isn't going down at all?"

"It's worse," she breathed, her breaths labored as she glanced up to the ceiling. "Where's the doctor?"

"He's not here yet."

Emily's face scrunched, her head shaking. "I need more drugs."

The older boy tried not to wince when he saw his girlfriend grow teary eyed, and he leaned forward to kiss her sweaty forehead. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. But the baby is going to be here soon," he smiled. "Doesn't that make it better?"

"No," she huffed out, her face contorting when another contraction hit her.

Bruce Prentiss came back in the room with all the Hotchners, walking up to his granddaughter's bedside. "How are you feeling, pumpkin?"

Emily glared up to the older man. "Just peachy."

"How are we?" the doctor asked, two nurses following him into the room with their hands in gloves. "Feeling any better?"

Emily cried, her hand clutching her boyfriend's. "I need more drugs, please. Please can I have more? These aren't working," she sobbed. "I can feel everything."

The doctor gave the teenager a sympathetic look before checking her dilation.

"Always the same; begging for drugs."

Peter turned in his spot by the door, his eyes immediately hardening on the couple that stood outside the hospital room. "What are you doing here?" he growled, his wife following him out into the hallway. "Who let you up here?"

The older man let his shoulders straighten. "Excuse me? This is our daughter, we're allowed to be here."

Annie stormed over to the desk and slammed her hands down. "We had a protective order on this hospital room, how did they get up here?"

"They had documentation, Mrs. Hotchner," the nurse said shortly. "They're allowed up because the patient is biologically related."

"We gave you names," Annie growled. "Names that were not permitted to be up here."

"I'm very sorry."

Elizabeth tuned out the arguing behind her and kept her eyes on the man who had taken her daughter in. "So? Is the bastard here yet?"

Her husband shrugged. "Maybe it was a stillborn."

"Miscarriage," the other ambassador suggested playfully.

Peter slammed the hospital door closed and forced the two back five steps. "How dare you," he said, his voice scarily calm as Annie found her way back to his side. "Emily is no longer your daughter and you have no right to be here. She is ours, just as this baby will be. When they're born, I will be sure to let you personally know that your rights to Emily and the baby are terminated."

"Unless we get the baby."

"You won't be getting this baby," Annie glared. "The judge will be seeing us later in the week and will see how amazing a mother Emily is. Neither of you deserve the gorgeous girl you've had nor do you deserve this baby."

Emily raised her legs and held them to her chest as the doctor got himself ready. "Where are they?" she sighed.

Aaron kept his little brother away from the bed, knowing he wouldn't want to be seeing what was about to happen. "They're just outside, they'll be back in a minute, ok? I promise."

"AARON!"

The sixteen year old's eyes widened at the yell and quickly sat beside his girlfriend on the bed. "It's ok, you're ok." He sent a panicked look to the door when Emily's grandfather made his way outside, hearing the commotion. Where had his parents gone?


	8. Chapter 8

Bruce gave a hard look to the two he immediately laid eyes on when he walked out of his granddaughter's hospital room, and he closed the door behind him so the teenager didn't need to hear what was about to go on. "I'm sure that neither one of you are supposed to be up on this floor."

The younger man stood before his father and stood straighter. "Father."

"I think it would be best if you left."

Peter and Annie Hotchner took a small step back from the others that stood by the hospital room door, knowing that this was no longer their battle to fight.

Bruce's almost blind eyes moved from the boy he and his wife had raised and looked at the stone cold woman in front of him. "Lizzy," he chuckled, noticing her slight wince at the use of her nickname. "I don't suppose you're here with your husband to wish my pumpkin's baby a happy birthday."

"We're here to see if the little bastard actually makes it into this world."

Glaring hard at his son who had spoken up, the grandfather of one hit his cane against the floors, watching as the two forced themselves not to jump. He loved that they were scared of him. "Unless you two are gone, I'm positive that when this baby comes into the world, you two will be out of it." He hardened his eyes on the couple. "You wouldn't want to have these nice nurses clean up the mess that would make, would you?"

Elizabeth's crow's feet deepened as she frowned at the older man.

"You two are not welcome here," Bruce said steadily as he saw the guards come up out of the corner of his eye. "These two men are going to be taking you downstairs and escorting you back to your car. And unless it's come across your minds that this baby is a good thing, I will be sure that you stay away from Emily. Do you understand me?"

"I'm a grown man, father," Charles practically growled.

Bruce's grip tightened around his cane. "Were you a grown man when you practically forced your wife to get an abortion? You two were just twenty, and she wanted to keep the poor baby but you demanded her to the doctor. Then Emily came, and thank God that it was too late to abort. I love her with all my heart and it's a shame that you two can't do the same." He watched as the guards took both ambassadors by the arms, and he opened the hospital door back up for the Hotchners and him to venture back inside. "I hope to never hear from you two again."

Elizabeth grip her teeth as she slid her arm from the bodyguard's grip. "This is not over, Bruce. She will not keep that baby."

"Not your choice," the older man winked, chuckling as he closed the door on the retreating parents.


	9. Chapter 9

"You're doing great, baby," Bruce cheered as he stepped back into the room, hearing the gleeful click of the lock turn so no one else was allowed in. "You're almost there pumpkin, I know it."

Emily's teeth grit, her hold on her boyfriend's hand tightening as all the nurses and doctors bustled around the room.

"She's ten centimeters," the other teenager said, almost in shock. He couldn't even feel the pressure on his hand anymore. "They're getting ready for him."

Bruce's eyes widened.

"It's a boy?" Annie Hotchner questioned, her breath leaving her lungs. "We're having a boy?"

"No, I am having a boy if the fucking doctors learn to deliver a baby!" Emily slammed her hand down against the bed she was laying in and glared at the doctors around the room. "Get the damn thing out of me! What is taking so long?"

The newest nurse in the room instructed the teenage boy in the room to settle himself behind his girlfriend and tried to smile. "We're just prepping, sweetheart. One more moment."

Emily reached forward and grabbed the nurse by her uniform. "I have been in labor for over a damn day," the sixteen year old ground out. "I just want him out!"

Quickly pulling the teen from her uniform, the blue eyed woman turned back to the doctor. "Are we ready?"

Emily cried, falling back against her boyfriend's chest with a thump. "Aaron, I just want him out."

"I know," he whispered, smoothing her hair back from her forehead. "Just get in the position like we practiced," he instructed, helping her pull her legs up, "and he'll be out of you soon."

She turned back to face him, her sweating and reddened face pouting as she kissed him. "I love you," the brunette whimpered. "I really do."

"I really love you too."

Annie clenched the material of her t-shirt as she watched the young couple. Hearing her son's voice full of so much emotion made her heart beat wildly in her chest.

She smiled. And she was about to be a grandma.

"Alright," the doctor smiled. "Everybody ready?"

Emily's lips curled into her mouth and she quickly nodded her head. "Yes, please."

Aaron pressed a kiss to his girlfriend's damp hair, his hands tightening around Emily's clenching thighs and pulling them up to her chest just like they were taught in the class she made him go to.

They were going to have a baby.


	10. Chapter 10

"Noah Ryan."

Annie grinned as she took the gurgling baby into her arms, bouncing him ever so lightly as her husband ushered the new parents into the house. "He is just so precious," she laughed, seeing him give her a new face. "My beautiful grandbaby."

Aaron gave a laugh as he helped his girlfriend sit down on the couch. "You do remember seeing him last week, right?" Emily and their new son had to be kept in the hospital because she had torn, and Aaron stayed by her side every single night, the nurses having to bring in a cot for him so it could be set right beside Emily's hospital bed. "It's not like you've never laid eyes on him before, you know."

"Hush, you."

Emily laughed, reaching up to hold her boyfriend's hand, pulling him down to sit with her on the couch.

"How are you feeling?" the eldest of the Hotchner clan asked. "Do you need anything? Food? A pillow?"

Emily quickly shook her head, letting the older man kiss her cheek as he laid a blanket over her lap. "I'm fine, I promise. I'm just a little tired."

The new grandmother looked to the teenager with worried eyes. "Do you need to lay down?" she questioned. "I made your bed a few times over the week, you know. But then I thought that maybe you'd need comfier bedding so I bought you a comforter and sheets."

"You didn't need to do that, really. Thank you, but I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

Emily gave a playful glare to the man who had fathered her boyfriend and shook her head. "I'm fine," she laughed. "But maybe I could hold my baby again?"

Annie quickly nodded, handing the newborn child to his mother and pressing a kiss to Emily's head.

"Hi little guy," she cooed, smiling wide at the baby boy in her arms. She watched as Noah pursed his tiny lips and shook his fists, and she shared a laugh with her boyfriend when they heard the little sound come out of him. "You just farted, didn't you?"

Aaron's little brother made a face.

"Don't worry," Annie laughed, reaching for Sean and pulling him onto her lap. "The baby's farts wont smell until he starts eating real food."

Sean looked up to his mother. "Well what is he eating now?"

"He's drinking," Emily chimed in. "That's enough for him for the first few months."

Setting a few curls behind his girlfriend's ear, the new father felt as if he couldn't take his eyes off the boy who looked just like the girl he loved. "Can I hold him for a moment?"

Emily shook her head. "No," she giggled. "I want him for a few more minutes." She let her son grip her pinky, and tears immediately stung at her brown eyes. "He's just so beautiful."

"He came from you. What did you expect?"

"Shut up," the new mother laughed. Staring down at her son, Emily leaned back, her heart breaking. "I don't want to lose him."

Annie shook her head, her arms tightening around the boy in her lap. "You won't lose him. He's your son and he's our grandson, and he's going to stay here until you two move out. You will not lose him."

Emily turned into her boyfriend and cried into his t-shirt. She really wished that could be true.


	11. Chapter 11

"His name is Noah," the ambassador informed her husband as she sat herself down at the dinner table. Giving a firm nod to the butler who set her plate down before her, Elizabeth glared. "Noah. Who names a child that?"

The older man took his brandy in his hand. "Your brother's name is Noah."

Elizabeth scoffed. "A disgusting name. A disgusting name for a disgusting little bastard child."

Charles gave a small nod of the head, picking up the expensive silverware to cut his steak. "Noah Hotchner, huh?"

"Prentiss-Hotchner," she insisted with a roll of the eyes. "The girl thinks she can use our name to still get her ahead, and now she's got her damn child mooching off of us as well."

Charles didn't say a word, swallowing the piece of meat he had cut up with a thick feeling in his throat."

"Little bitch," Elizabeth muttered.

...

Emily smiled sleepily to the lawyer as they sat down, glancing over to her boyfriend who held their sleeping son against his chest. "I'm sorry we're a little late," she laughe. "Noah couldn't stop crying, he has a little ear infection."

Anthony gave a cheery grin to the two new parents. "Nothing to worry about. Your little boy is beautiful, by the way."

"Thank you very much."

Opening up the file he had, the lawyer got himself comfortable in his chair. "So the judge is getting ready to make a suprise appearance at your home in the next week or two. Being part of the deal to see how you parent before the decision is made, you need to make it look the best you can."

Emily nodded in understanding. "Well we have everything we need for him, and Aaron's parents are around to help when we have school. We won't be moving out until Noah is at least a year old."

"And how about finances?"

"Aaron and I are both going to graduate early and head off to college," she answered. "There's a univeristy right down town where we'll go to classes on different days, and Aaron has a job."

Anthony frowned slightly. "How do you plan on paying for your college and a home for the three of you?"

Leaning forward as she felt her exhaustion hit her, Emily licked the corner of her mouth. "My grandfather has multiple trusts set up for me, and he just set one up for my son last week. Just like mine, until I'm eighteen there will be one hundred thousand dollars put in a month, and he's letting me use one of mine early to pay for our home and my college tuition."

"And your parents can't take this money from you?"

Emily was quick to shake her head. "They have no power to touch the money my grandfather set aside for us."

The lawyer smiled, watching as the baby in Aaron's arm gave a tired yawn before he nodded his head. "From what I've heard, I think you two will do exceptionally well as parents. I don't see any reason for the judge to decide against you."


	12. Chapter 12

Emily gave a cry of exhaustion as she picked her child up for the fift time in two minutes, and she quickly set him to her chest to rock him once again. "Come on baby, what's the matter?"

"He's sick, Em. He's gonna get cranky."

The brunette turned and glared at the boy who had fathered her child. "You could help me, you know," she growled.

Aaron threw his hands up in defense, following his girlfriend out of their shared bedroom and into the kitchen to get a new bottle for their son. "I've tried to take him from you but you don't like it when he's out of your arms. What do you want me to do?"

"Help me!"

The older brunette felt his heart break at the tears that quickly started streaming down his girlfriend's drained face, and he took her and their baby boy into a hug. "Alright, calm down," he cooed, taking their son from her arms and pressing a long kiss to Emily's lips. "Go and sit down and let me handle this, ok? Everything is going to be fine."

Emily ran her hands down her face and fell onto the couch, the blankets and clothing she hadn't finished folding sitting around her as she was too tired to finish at the moment.

Noah had been sick for a good week and a half with his ear ache, and now he had had diarrhea for a little over three days, and he just couldn't stop crying for his parents.

Barely getting comfortable on the couch, the new mother felt the pounding in her head grow stronger when the doorbell sounded. "Did your mom forget her keys again?" she groaned, pulling her sleeves up to cover her hands before she covered her face with them.

"I don't know baby but can you get the door? I need to go and change Noah's diaper."

Emily wiped her tears with the ends of her sleeves before getting up from the couch. "Come here," she cooed, kissing her son on his barely hairy head before letting her boyfriend take him back to their bedroom. "Remeber the powder!"

"I've got it!" the older brunette called back.

She pulled the front door open, her tired eyes widening at the sight of the judge who had been determining their custody of Noah for the past couple of months. "Judge Harper," the teen whispered frightenedly, quickly trying to fix her hair that she knew was messy so it looked a least a little normal. "Hi."

"Hello Emily," the judge smiled warmly. "May I come in?"

The ambassador's daughter hastily nodded his head before stepping aside, closing the door behind the older woman and leading her into the living room. "I'm so sorry about the mess." Her eyes were glued to the dirtied room before her. "We were doing laundry and Noah has been sick for a few days now and we couldn't get to folding."

Judge Harper looked to the teen at her side. "Is Noah alright?"

"Oh he's ok. We took him to the doctor and called again yesterday just to have him make sure that we knew the signs of him getting better." Emily gulped, afraid the judge was already making her opinion about her parenting with Aaron from the few things she was seeing and hearing.

"Well may I see his room?"

Emily nodded, leading the woman who was deciding her son's fate down the hall and to the room she and her boyfriend were sharing with their son. "It's a little small," she started off, opening the door to show her the room. "But we all fit very well, and we have another room down the hall for when he isn't in his bassinet any more."

Aaron looked up from the boy on the changing table and smiled. "Oh Judge Harper, hi."

"Hi there Aaron," she smiled, watching as the teenage boy finished settling the diaper on the fussing baby before lifting him up from the changing table. "How is Noah feeling? Emily's told me that he hasn't been feeling well?"

"He's getting better but it'll take a while for him to get fully better."

The judge nodded, wringing her hands in front of her. "Well if you two can sit down, I'd like to speak with you."

Emily could feel her eyes stinging as she prepared herself for the news about to hit her. She sat herself down beside her boyfriend, taking her son back into her arms to calm herself down.

"Now you two know that I've had to pick apart your lives as well as the Prentiss' lives to see which household Noah would live best in. And with everything I've come to understand, I have been leaning toward you two being the parents for this young boy."

Aaron grasped the brunette's hand beside him.

"But I have to tell you, I received a call before I came here to speak with you," she nodded. "Emily, your parents have backed out of the custody battle."

Emily's jaw dropped, her tears spilling over her eyes at the news. "What?"

Judge Harper gently nodded her head. "Your parents have decided that it would be best to not raise Noah as theirs, and that you two should be the parents. But the catch is that Elizabeth and Charles do not wish to associate themselves with you any longer."

"They don't want to be my parents anymore?"

"I'm so sorry."

Emily let her boyfriend kiss her head before she shook it, standing with her son on her hip. "They weren't my parents to begin with. All that matters is my son," she smiled, pressing a kiss to her baby boy's head as she felt Aaron hug her from behind. "What matters is my family, and that's these two."

The judge smiled at the teens bouncing their baby lightly, and she could feel her heart warm at the smile Emily had sent her.

If she didn't choose Emily and Aaron as the parents, she wouldn't have done her job.

They were his parents.


End file.
